公开(公告)号：USRE49952E1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-30

申请号：US16838976

申请日：2020-04-02

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Vincent Sylvester Kuiper ,  Erwin Slot

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/09 ,  H01J37/30

CPC classification number: H01J37/3177 ,  H01J37/09 ,  H01J37/3007 ,  H01J2237/0435 ,  H01J2237/0453 ,  H01J2237/3175 ,  H01J2237/31774

Abstract: A sub-beam aperture array for forming a plurality of sub-beams from one or more charged particle beams. The sub-beam aperture array comprises one or more beam areas, each beam area comprising a plurality of sub-beam apertures arranged in a non-regular hexagonal pattern, the sub-beam apertures arranged so that, when projected in a first direction onto a line parallel to a second direction, the sub-beam apertures are uniformly spaced along the line, and wherein the first direction is different from the second direction. The system further comprises a beamlet aperture array with a plurality of beamlet apertures arranged in one or more groups. The beamlet aperture array is arranged to receive the sub-beams and form a plurality of beamlets at the locations of the beamlet apertures of the beamlet array.

公开(公告)号：US11972922B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-30

申请号：US18126322

申请日：2023-03-24

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Hermanus Adrianus Dillen ,  Wim Tjibbo Tel ,  Willem Louis Van Mierlo

IPC: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/22

CPC classification number: H01J37/28 ,  H01J37/222 ,  H01J2237/2826

Abstract: A method for calibrating a scanning charged particle microscope, such as a scanning electron microscope (SEM), is provided. The method includes dividing a wafer into a plurality of regions; preparing, on each of the plurality of regions, a pattern including a first periodic structure interleaved with a second periodic structure, the first and second periodic structures having an induced offset; determining an actual pitch the first and second periodic structures and thereby determining actual induced offset on each of the plurality of regions; selecting a plurality of regions from among the plurality of regions; measuring, by the SEM, a pitch of first and second periodic structures on each of the plurality of regions; and performing linearity calibration on the SEM based on the determining and the measuring.

公开(公告)号：US11971663B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-30

申请号：US17626852

申请日：2020-07-07

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Marinus Petrus Reijnders ,  Hendrik Sabert ,  Patrick Sebastian Uebel

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/70616

Abstract: Provided are light sources and methods of controlling them, and devices and methods for use in measurement applications, particularly in metrology, for example in a lithographic apparatus. The methods and devices provide mechanisms for detection and/or correction of variations in the light source, in particular stochastic variations. Feedback or feedforward approaches can be used for the correction of the source and/or the metrology outputs. An exemplary method of controlling the spectral output of a light source which emits a time-varying spectrum of light includes the steps of: determining at least one characteristic of the spectrum of light emitted from the light source; and using said determined characteristic to control the spectral output.

公开(公告)号：US11971656B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-30

申请号：US18120886

申请日：2023-03-13

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Johan Hendrik Klootwijk ,  Wilhelmus Theodorus Anthonius Johannes Van Den Einden

IPC: G03F1/64 ,  G03F1/62 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G03F1/66

CPC classification number: G03F1/64 ,  G03F1/62 ,  G03F7/70808 ,  G03F7/70958 ,  G03F7/70983 ,  G03F1/66

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a membrane assembly for EUV lithography, the method including: providing a stack having a planar substrate and at least one membrane layer, wherein the planar substrate includes an inner region and a border region around the inner region; and selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate. The membrane assembly includes: a membrane formed from the at least one membrane layer; and a border holding the membrane, the border formed from the border region of the planar substrate. The stack is provided with a mechanical protection material configured to mechanically protect the border region during the selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20240119582A1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-11

申请号：US18276018

申请日：2022-01-31

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Quan ZHANG ,  Been-Der CHEN ,  Wei-chun Fong ,  Zhangnan ZHU ,  Robert Elliott BOONE

IPC: G06T7/00 ,  G03F1/36

CPC classification number: G06T7/001 ,  G03F1/36 ,  G06T2207/20081 ,  G06T2207/20212 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: Described are embodiments for generating a post-optical proximity correction (OPC) result for a mask using a target pattern and reference layer patterns. Images of the target pattern and reference layers are provided as an input to a machine learning (ML) model to generate a post-OPC image. The images may be input separately or combined into a composite image (e.g., using a linear function) and input to the ML model. The images are rendered from pattern data. For example, a target pattern image is rendered from a target pattern to be printed on a substrate, and a reference layer image such as dummy pattern image is rendered from dummy pattern. The ML model is trained to generate the post-OPC image using multiple images associated with target patterns and reference layers, and using a reference post-OPC image of the target pattern. The post-OPC image may be used to generate a post-OPC mask.

公开(公告)号：US20240119212A1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-11

申请号：US18277014

申请日：2022-02-25

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Jung Hoon SER ,  Sungwoon PARK ,  Xin LEI ,  Jinwoong JEONG ,  Rongkuo ZHAO ,  Duan-Fu Stephen HSU ,  Xiaoyang LI

IPC: G06F30/392 ,  G06F30/398

CPC classification number: G06F30/392 ,  G06F30/398 ,  G06F2119/02

Abstract: Methods for configuring a patterning process based on results of another patterning process is described. The method includes obtaining a first set of contours by simulating a first patterning process using a design layout in a first orientation. The contours satisfy a design specification associated with the design layout and correspond to a first set of process window conditions. A second patterning process is configured based on a second orientation of the design layout, the first set of process window conditions and the first set of contours. The second patterning process is associated with one or more design variables (e.g., illumination, mask pattern) that affect a second set of contours. The configuring includes adjusting one or more design variables until the second set of contours are within a desired matching threshold with the first set of contours.

公开(公告)号：US20240111221A1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-04

申请号：US18275663

申请日：2022-01-12

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Hendrik Adriaan VAN LAARHOVEN ,  Bastiaan Maurice VAN DEN BROEK ,  Vito Daniele RUTIGLIANI

IPC: G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/706841 ,  G03F7/70633 ,  G03F7/706831

Abstract: A method of determining a measurement recipe for measurement of in-die targets located within one or more die areas of an exposure field. The method includes obtaining first measurement data relating to measurement of a plurality of reference targets and second measurement data relating to measurement of a plurality of in-die targets, the targets having respective different overlay biases and measured using a plurality of different acquisition settings for acquiring the measurement data. One or more machine learning models are trained using the first measurement data to obtain a plurality of candidate measurement recipes, wherein the candidate measurement recipes include a plurality of combinations of a trained machine learned model and a corresponding acquisition setting; and a preferred measurement recipe is determined from the candidate measurement recipes using the second measurement data.

公开(公告)号：US20240111214A1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-04

申请号：US18274990

申请日：2021-12-20

Applicant: ASML Netherlands B.V.

Inventor： Jacob Fredrik Friso KLINKHAMER ,  Michel Alphons Theodorus VAN HINSBERG

IPC: G03F7/20

CPC classification number: G03F7/20

Abstract: A method for representing control parameter data for controlling a lithographic apparatus during a scanning exposure of an exposure field on a substrate, the method including: obtaining a set of periodic base functions, each base function out of the set of periodic base functions having a different frequency and a period smaller than a dimension associated with the exposure field across which the lithographic apparatus needs to be controlled; obtaining the control parameter data; and determining a representation of the control parameter data using the set of periodic base functions.

公开(公告)号：US11947269B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-02

申请号：US17497087

申请日：2021-10-08

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Anagnostis Tsiatmas ,  Paul Christiaan Hinnen ,  Elliott Gerard McNamara ,  Thomas Theeuwes ,  Maria Isabel De La Fuente Valentin ,  Mir Homayoun Shahrjerdy ,  Arie Jeffrey Den Boef ,  Shu-jin Wang

IPC: G03F7/00 ,  G06T7/00 ,  G03F7/20

CPC classification number: G03F7/70633 ,  G03F7/70625 ,  G03F7/70683 ,  G06T7/0006 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: A method including: obtaining a detected representation of radiation redirected by each of a plurality of structures from a substrate additionally having a device pattern thereon, wherein each structure has an intentional different physical configuration of the respective structure than the respective nominal physical configuration of the respective structure, wherein each structure has geometric symmetry at the respective nominal physical configuration, wherein the intentional different physical configuration of the structure causes an asymmetric optical characteristic distribution and wherein a patterning process parameter measures change in the physical configuration; and determining a value, based on the detected representations and based on the intentional different physical configurations, to setup, monitor or correct a measurement recipe for determining the patterning process parameter.

公开(公告)号：US11942304B2

公开(公告)日：2024-03-26

申请号：US17856848

申请日：2022-07-01

Applicant: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.

Inventor： Yongxin Wang ,  Zhonghua Dong ,  Rui-Ling Lai

IPC: H01J37/244 ,  H01L27/146

CPC classification number: H01J37/244 ,  H01L27/14603 ,  H01L27/14609 ,  H01J2237/2446

Abstract: Systems and methods for implementing a detector array are disclosed. According to certain embodiments, a substrate comprises a plurality of sensing elements including a first element and a second element, and a switching region therebetween configured to connect the first element and the second element. The switching region may be controlled based on signals generated in response to the sensing elements receiving electrons with a predetermined amount of energy.